


Heart-Shaped Box

by pixelated



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Heartbreak, Light Angst, M/M, Metaphors, Past Relationship(s), Post-First War with Voldemort, Symbolism, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27986679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixelated/pseuds/pixelated
Summary: Tucked inside a heart-shaped cardboard box—which once held myriad pieces of decadent creme-filled chocolates received as a Valentine’s Day gift many moons ago—is a cache of miscellaneous items that may seem like forgotten bits of trash to anyone else in the world, but to Remus, they are mementos of his first love, long lost.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 14
Kudos: 45





	Heart-Shaped Box

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Wolfstar Holiday 2020 prompt list that I made and posted on [tumblr](https://remus-john-lupin.tumblr.com/post/634951075596828672/its-come-to-my-attention-that-i-have-fireplace).
> 
> Day 9: Fireplace

Tucked inside a heart-shaped cardboard box—which once held myriad pieces of decadent creme-filled chocolates received as a Valentine’s Day gift many moons ago—is a cache of miscellaneous items that may seem like forgotten bits of trash to anyone else in the world, but to Remus, they are mementos of his first love, long lost.

Inside this heart, with the edges of its red foil covering cracked and torn in places due to its age, are movie ticket stubs, a candy wrapper, coins, a few pretty stones, a seashell, a dried purple flower, a torn bit of Christmas wrapping paper, several love letters, and photographs of two happy young men—Sirius, who once lived wild and carefree, who always said he held the world in his hands when he held onto Remus, who laughed loudly and told dirty jokes, who kissed and made love like his life depended on it… and Remus, who still, after more than a decade without him, shamefully holds Sirius inside his own beating heart.

With this box in his hands, Remus kneels beside the fireplace and tucks his feet underneath himself. He sets the box down on the hearth and removes the lid, and really, he knows, as he gazes down at his treasures and his sad brown eyes reflect the light of the flickering flame and begin to go glossy at the relived memories playing on in his mind, that he should simply toss the whole box into the fire and be done with it. He knows that he should have done it a long time ago. He knows that he’s a terrible person for not having done it and holding onto these keepsakes in the hopes of… what exactly, he isn’t even certain.

Instead, Remus takes the article he clipped from the front page of the Daily Prophet that morning and gently places it inside the box as his eyes skim over the headline once more.

 _‘Black Remains at Large!’_ it reads in a large bold font, typed out above a photograph of a rather crazed looking person in black and white prison stripes who is nearly unrecognizable as being the bold young man he once loved.

Remus isn’t sure what Sirius is after or if he’s coming for him or not, but he can’t help but snicker quietly to himself as he puts the lid back on top of his box, and wish that he could put a lid over his own heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [tumblr](https://remus-john-lupin.tumblr.com/)! 💙


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